Pain of Today, Healing of Tomorrow
by jessa faerie
Summary: This is a Sirius Black story. It's a love story between him and a girl named Helen. She has a terrifying past and Sirius must rescue her from it. Will he be able to heal her? More inside
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well this is the spin-off that some of you requested. And by the way… Memories Made in the Rain and this story are connected. But you don't need to read MMTR to understand this one.**

**Disclaimer: I'm sorry! I always forget this. Please don't sue me. I don't own Sirius Black. I don't own Hogwarts. I don't own Dumbledore. I don't own James. I do not own Lily. And I do not own Remus. I don't own Platform 9 ¾. I don't own the Hogwarts Express. I don't own Diagon Alley. I do not own Hogsmeade. Ok. There. I think I covered everything so far. Oh! And I don't own Voldemort. (who would want to?) Ok. Yea. Let me know if I forgot anything. :-)) **

_Pain of Today, Healing of Tomorrow_

_Chapter One_

It was almost two years since Helen Brundlehurst's mum died in a freak car accident. Mr. Brundlehurst was still learning to cope with their loss, but not in the best of ways. He was drinking.

He was not a violent drunk at all; he was in fact very docile. He would hold imaginary conversations with a Mrs. Anne Brundlehurst, who wasn't there. This broke Helen's heart.

The summer night wind blew through the open windows. The breeze wrapped around Helen as she say out on the small balcony that stemmed form her French windows in her room. It was Helen's escape, just to go up there and write or draw or read. The balcony was above the porch and overlooked the graveled driveway that was lined with beautiful trees. Helen always missed her home when she was away at Hogwarts, but she felt just as at home there.

"Oh Merlin!" Helen said frustrated, "And he's driving."

She said that as a small blue car came up the drive, making loud crunches as he passed over the gravel. It was night and the moon was a sliver in the sky. Helen ran downstairs, graceful as a cat, and helped Mr. Brundlehurst from the car.

He was singing obnoxious Irish pub songs, very loudly. Helen was thankful that they lived in a somewhat rural region, the nearest neighbors were about a kilometer off, so they weren't aware of Mr. Brundlehurst's drinking.

When they made it through the doorway Mr. Brundlehurst requested bratwurst.

"Because heaven forbid, he not have bratwurst when he comes home wasted." thought Helen exasperatedly.

He always wanted bratwurst after heavy drinking.

"Please," He begged, "You're m'best friend" he continued to whine in his drunken tenor tones.

"Fine." Helen sighed.

By the time Helen had gotten the bratwurst out of the freezer and the pan out of the cabinet, she soon had to pick them right back up because now Mr. Brundlehurst was out cold on the couch.

She gently shook him to wake him up. He barely stirred. She was able to awaken him and get him to bed, and Helen reminded him, "I'm leaving for school in the morning, dad." She couldn't help but think dejectedly, "And you'll have a hangover for my last year."

Helen was already packed for school on September 1, as she lay on her bed thinking about a boy she had met and spoken to at length in Diagon Alley over the summer.

The first time she had met Sirius Black, a completely gorgeous and popular guy, she had been thinking about her mum and pitying her dad and current lifestyle. Sirius Black had seen her and comforted her, not even knowing her name. They decided to meet up again and again. After three meetings Sirius asked her to be his steady girlfriend. Helen had surprisingly jumped right in head first without a second thought to the matter.

Helen wanted desperately to be loved. Her past relationship had been a nightmare to any girl, but that's all she knew. She had thought that that was love. Only until the end did she truly see the light and realized that it was wrong.

Sirius Black was a big step up. He definitely fit the description of tall, dark, and handsome, not to mention intelligent. After their second meeting, the pair had discovered they both attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and were even in the same house. Sirius had never really noticed her, but Helen, on the other hand, had noticed him. (Who wouldn't!)

The couple had decided to meet at the train station on September the first.

Helen arrived to the train station later than she had planned. As she suspected, Mr. Brundlehurst had a hangover and had overslept not wanting to drive in the morning sunlight. Helen lectured him all the way to the station.

"Dad, it's not only not good for your health, but you _drove _home last night. I worry about you Dad, I'm going away to school and I won't be here to …"

Mr. Brundlehurst cut her off in his strong Irish accent, "Don't you be worryin' yerself over me, d'hear? I'll be fine, and I'll not have ya frettin' yerself for nothin'."

"Just promise me you won't drink as much while I'm gone?" Helen asked as silent tears streamed from her chestnut brown eyes.

"I promise Helen." He told her in reply.

They arrived at the train station a little after 10:30am. Helen pulled him into a tight bear hug.

"I love you Dad. I'll miss you. And I promise I'll write.

"I know. See you soon. Love you. Be good."

Helen walked on to Platform 9 ¾ leaving her dad and the muggle world behind. She was entering her last year of Hogwarts, her seventh year.

Sirius found her first. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, surprising her for a moment. Helen turned into him, hugging him. Sirius lifted her chin so that he could look at her. He kissed her on the lips, her first.

They met up with Sirius' friends, James and Remus, and their girlfriends, Lily and Leigh.

Helen and Sirius got a compartment with the other four. While Helen was still in a dream-like state from her first kiss, Sirius decided to go a step farther and began snogging her. No one really bothered them, like James usually would have done.

Later on the train Sirius introduced her again to the group. It seemed to Sirius, that no one had been listening to him the first time, at the train station.

That night they ate in the Great Hall with the others. Sirius and Helen retired at around 10pm. The two parted at the entrance to their own dormitories, kissing once more.

**A/N: I'm soooo sorry, I know that Chapter like really sucked but I swear it gets better. I promise. You all can send evil elves after (I think some of you already have) me if it doesn't get better. Well R/R please:-)) **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cold was beginning to creep in during the early months of October. The students of Hogwarts had already been at school for a little over a month.

Sirius was still sleeping upstairs, and Helen was in tears curled up in an armchair, facing the blazing fire. No one but Leigh had noticed her.

Helen had been reluctant to talk at first, but when she had started, the words just kept pouring from her mouth.

_Flashback_

Helen explained to Leigh half-heartedly

"It's just screwed up relationships in the past have made me so scared of this one. I know he's totally different but, I'm just scared that it'll happen again. It's this unending fear in the back of my mind." She had continued to spew her worries through sobs and a tear-stained face. "No matter how much I try to convince myself…I don't know. Ugh!" she had smiled trying to cover up her despair.

Leigh understood and told her that everything would be fine and that they would catch up later because she had to finish up some Herbology homework.

_End Flashback_

The heat was drying her tears in strange patterns across her rosy cheeks. Tears welled up in her eyes again as memories of her past echoed around her. The phantasms came to being as she drifted into restless sleep.

"_What are you wearing?" a cold, harsh voice asked._

"_My new top I bought." The answer came from a meek unfamiliar voice._

"_And what color is it?"_

"_Pink." She said quietly._

"_And what have I said about that color? I hate it! Didn't I say that?_

"_Yes, I'm sorry, really I…"_

"_Shut it! Did I not say I hated that color? Did I not say not to wear it?"_

"_Yes, you said that." Came Helen's voice, again unrecognizable to her own mind._

_He hit her hard with the back of his hand across her right cheek._

Helen jolted in her sleep feeling nauseated. She remembered that incident very well, and it frequently came to her in her sleep. She remembered that top, and she'd loved it when she bought it. Pink was her color, no doubt. She'd planned on not letting him see it; and hiding it when he went through her belongings.

Helen hadn't planned on seeing him that day either. But he was there. After he'd hit her he marched her up to the dormitories for her to cover the hideous mark. While she was up there she put on a black shirt, which he much preferred and approved of.

Helen had come down again. He sent her back up to get the pink top. Once more she had come down the stairs, he grabbed the shirt.

"_Do you like this pink shirt?"_

_Helen dared not respond 'yes', "No." she lied._

"_Good." He stated maliciously as he threw it into the furious fire._

More tears made their way from her brown eyes, down her cheeks, and off of her perfect chin, and onto the black T-shirt she had worn that day he'd discovered her pink shirt. Helen hadn't bought one single pink thing since. The memory was viciously imprinted in her mind.

It was just one of the many abusive memories she faced everyday since she'd broken up with him. It didn't matter to him or her, Helen had suffered too much and he'd been cheating on her for three months at least.

Helen softly whispered, "I'll deal with the pain today, and the healing tomorrow." This had been a vague phrase to get her through everyday with that monster.

Helen felt someone close behind watching. As far as she knew, she was the only one in the common room. She turned to see Sirius standing at the threshold to the stairs, his hair disheveled, resembling a rat's nest, and yet still possessing that boyish charm that made him so cute, and a god to the girls who worshipped him.

"Oh! Hello Sirius." Helen said brightly as she discreetly dried her cheeks.

"Hey there darling." He said as he walked her way and bent over her, kissing the top of her head.

Sirius sat down next to her and held both of her hands, he looked deep into her eyes, almost as though he were searching for something.

She had the hardest time telling him she was fine, during these times, when he asked what was wrong. Sirius would get this strange look in his eyes, making Helen look down, unable to meet his curious gaze, for fear of crying and having to explain.

They both knew she was lying but neither pushed the matter further. Moreover, she was trying to convince herself that she was okay.

Sirius placed his left hand on her right cheek, and a small tremor ran through her body. It was the same cheek that had been struck so many times before. Helen looked up into his eyes.

"Helen," Sirius started and "I love you." Uttered from his lips.

She gently closed her eyes, feeling love in a relationship for the first time. She hadn't ever heard that before, except from her mum and dad.

She responded, "I love you too Sirius."

**A/N: Read and Review. You see the button. You know you want to click it and type. I had a lot of deep stuff in this chapter. I promise (I hope) it'll get better. xoxoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next few weeks were sheer bliss. Helen relished every moment with Sirius and he cherished her very presence.

Hallowe'en was just around the corner as well as the Masquerade Ball. Preparations were being taken all of the Hogwarts students. It was to be a grand night were differences between all houses would be put aside and civilties would prevail.

As hoped and predicted the night would go well. Sirius waited at the bottom of a marble staircase along with Remus and James. Helen descended the stairs first.

She was breathtaking and heart stopping, despite his racing heart. Helen was outfitted in an elegant lavender dress that had a beautiful powder blue trim. The dress was not small either, it was big and gorgeous. The colors complimented her light blonde hair. The tight corset wrapped around her curving frame making her have a 20 inch waist. (A/N: this is tiny, find a tape measure!)

The two made their way to the Great Hall, leaving the other four Sirius and Helen danced all night. Helen noticed Sirius give Remus a wink as he led Leigh out to the courtyard.

"Where are they going?" Helen asked Sirius.

"He's proposing to her." Sirius smiled casually.

Helen smiled back and thought amusedly. They continued to dance until the Masquerade Ball ended at midnight. Helen went upstairs with Leigh and changed into their nightclothes. Leigh assisted Helen in getting out of her dress and Helen helped her. Helen went back downstairs, were the boys were. Sirius had changed as well.

Sirius, Helen, James, and Lily stayed up talking and cutting up in the common room with Frank Longbottom and his girlfriend Alice. The group didn't retire and instead fell asleep in the common room.

In the early hours of the morning Sirius heard something in the boys' room so he went to see what was up.

November crept slowly through on whistling winds and wilting flowers. They had Transfiguration, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Divination for classes and the rest of the day off.

In Transfiguration they would be turning pufskeins into pillows. Professor McGonagall was constantly lecturing the Marauders for their misbehavior. It was obvious she didn't play favorites, (although she had her soft spots) even for students of her own House.

"Potter! Black!" McGonagall barked. "Will you two Behave? For just once, can you act your age? This is your last year at Hogwarts. Do either of you have the slightest clue as to what you want to make of your self when you have to face the real world?" she continued in more hushed tones, "The world is not as it was on the first day you arrived at the school. It is darker, and it cannot be ignored."

Lily and Helen who had been watching the circumstances and lecture develop gave the boys the death glare for getting into trouble. No one had heard the professor when she quieted her voice.

The group of six walked up to the Gryffindor common room to switch out their books for Herbology. Helen asked,

"What was it McGonagall was telling you and James?"

Lily agreed, turning to James, "Yea, what did she say James?"

The boys looked at each other nervous and frantic; searching hoping for the other to answer. Luckily it went unnoticed by the girls who were putting their books on the table.

"Well…" Sirius began.

"Uhhm…" James attempted until Remus came to the rescue.

"Didn't she say something about pulling your acts together or something?"

Sirius and James breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Yea, something like that." James said.

"Wasn't listening." Sirius smiled at Helen.

The girls seemed satisfied enough by the answer Remus had dished out. Sirius and James thanked Remus by widening their eyes and mouthing the words.

Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures went by fairly quickly and without incident.

When they got to Divination, however, it was a fairly different story. None of them wanted to be there as it was and their frightfully strange professor did not make it any better.

She wasn't a phony as had been determined, which made her scarier. She was a short, skinny woman with fried black hair and electric blue eyes. She had two streaks of hair in the front, they were green and pink. Very noticeable. Unfortunately, she believed so greatly in her subject, she lived by it as though it were a Holy Book.

They were reviewing what they had learned in the past few years. Today was dream interpretation.

James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting at a table, and Lily, Helen, and Leigh were sitting at their own. James figured that they would be making up dreams just as they had done many years ago. Lily began rambling on and on about her recent dreams, something about being chased by a foggy orb and then of a more frightening dream. Helen looked uncomfortable and Leigh looked sympathetic. Remus and Sirius were feeling the same way respectively.

Remus was pleading with his eyes for Sirius not to say anything to James.

"I won't." Sirius mouthed as James was creating a dream about him chasing a butterfly into the lake and being sucked down by the giant squid and ending up in the girls' lavatory with Moaning Myrtle.

Helen was recalling her terrifying past.

The bell rang dispersing the students to the freedom of the bitterly cold afternoon. Christmas would soon be approaching and there would be many students in Hogsmeade buying gifts for friends.

Helen was going to write a letter to her dad, asking him if Sirius could stay with them for the holidays.

_Dear Dad,_

_Hi! I hope that you've been doing well and haven't been drinking much, and the holidays are coming up! Yay! I look forward to them and seeing you. As you might have guessed I'm coming home and I had a question._

_I wanted to know if my friend, alright, boyfriend, could spend the holidays with us. His name is Sirius Black. He has no family to spend the holidays with and well I think it would be nice if he spent it with us. _

_I look forward to your reply by owl. _

_Love you,_

_Helen_

"There, I think that'll do it." she said optimistically.

She and Sirius were in the school owlry and had just sent off the gentle barn owl that had grown partial to her over the years.

"Do you realize that this is our last year here?" Helen said

"Yea, wow. That's really depressing." Sirius responded.

"I don't want to think about that." Helen declared as she wrinkled her nose, a trait that melted Sirius' heart every time.

She smiled at him curiously, "What are you looking at?" she asked sweetly.

"Just looking at you, and how beautiful you are…" he paused, then whispered in her ear as he held her, "I'm so lucky to have you."

All she could do in times like this was deny him. She wasn't used to this treatment.

"No, I'm lucky to have you. There was just something about you that made me trust… I don't know… I never thought I could love…" she stopped.

"Baby…" Sirius began with misting eyes. "What happened to you?"

Helen realized her mistake and tried to run but Sirius held her back by the wrists. She gasped for breath and in the back of her mind, for a moment, was scared. Being trapped or cornered was one of her biggest fears now. An image, and many others, of the pink shirt incident flashed across her mind.

Sirius held her neck between his two hands as one tear escaped her eye.

**A/N: well ppl plz let me know what you think about this story. PUUHHHLEEEZ tell ppl about it. That's if it doesn't suck. Lol either way I expect a REVIEW! I need for something to go wrong. I know that this is fanfic and whatever you want to happen can… but I like stickin to the basis of J.K.R.'s work. Ya know. So if anyone had an idea of what can make them split up (and Remus and Leigh in MMTR) let me know. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer!** I own none of this but _my_ storyline. If you don't know by now that J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter books etc you're an idiot and shame on you! lol

_**Chapter 4**_

Sirius had let her go. He let her leave and retreat to a sanctuary, the dormitory, where he could not follow her.

Feeling quite unmasculine he began to weep. He wept for Helen's pain, traumas, and sufferings. All of which, he knew nothing about. Gathering himself and wiping a tear from his cheek, he raced after her, desperately trying to find the corridor she had taken.

Luck on his side he had taken the correct turn and saw her walking into the girls' lavatory. Sirius caught the door just before it shut and walked in. Helen didn't notice his entrance and she continued her silent tears and frequent hyperventilating sounds, gasping for a decent breath. She was once more quiet as Sirius walked toward the bend where the toilets were.

He walked upon a heart wrenching sight. Helen was kneeling all the way to the ground on her knees and facing the opposite direction. She was inspecting what appeared to Sirius as burn marks on her arms. Something she didn't do.

The memories caused her so much pain; she relived it every day and every night. She stood up in a slightly unbalanced way. Also something she didn't do. She was exceedingly graceful, as she had been in ballet all her life. Sirius advanced towards her. She wobbled for a moment and began to fall, unconscious. Sirius caught her and held her tightly. He sunk to the floor under the beautiful blonde's weight, his back against the wall. He was telling her over and over again how much he loved her.

He knew that they couldn't stay there in the middle of the girls' lavatory; soon ideas began whizzing in his head. He decided that he didn't want to involve any adults, leaving the Hospital Wing out of the question. His next course of thought was, action. He took her to the Shrieking Shack.

Helen had some weight to her limp form, but she wasn't heavy. He set her down on the rumpled bed. His next plan was, Lily. She was very bright and was training to be a Healer and had great skills in the art, ranking her in the advanced category. Sirius, hoping that Helen wouldn't awake and become frantic, left with a heavy weight burdening on his chest and heart. He loved this girl and would die if something happened to her.

Sirius ran with Lily down the hallway. All that he told her was that there was an emergency with Helen.

Sirius waited out in the hall of the Shrieking Shack, for what seemed like an eternity, as Lily tended to the still unconscious Helen. He was impatient to know how things were going. The knob of the decrepit door opened and Lily stepped out looking grave indeed.

"…She's delirious. She keeps mumbling about that guy who died this summer, I think she used to date him." Lily was explaining compassionately and carefully to Sirius. "But Sirius, my God. Whatever he did to her really messed her up. She thinks he's still alive and is going to hurt her, again. She will be fine in a few hours' time however. Her heart rate is slightly irregular." Lily smiled supportively. "She'll be fine, but something is… I don't know how to put it…"

"Wrong with her emotions and mental state?" Sirius finished for her. "Something horrible happened to her. I think it had to do with her last relationship."

Sirius spent the night at the foot of the bed in his animagous form, a black dog. Helen soon fell into a fitful slumber at around 3 am. She had screamed his name once. He changed back into a human. He went to her side, and gently woke her, praying for the best.

"Sirius." Helen breathed.

Her blonde hair was slightly frizzed on top, but the hair that framed her perfect skin was plastered to her neck and forehead. Sirius embraced her, terrified. Helen was exhausted and immediately slipped into a peaceful sleep in his muscular arms. All Sirius could do was lie there, his chin resting tenderly on the top of Helen's head.

Sirius thought out loud whispering into Helen's ear, "What can I do to make you forget? How can I help you? Sweetheart I love you so much. I have never told anyone that before. No one. I wouldn't waste words with that much meaning on just anyone." He sighed sorrowfully as the last solitary tear found its way to his cheeks' surface. "How can I get you to tell me, without hurting you? I _love_ you. How can I heal you?"

**A/N: This story is going kinda slow and not really the way I want it to go. It's kind of supposed to be really sad now and really uplifting later. If any of you that are reading this have any ideas on how I can improve please let me know. Constructive criticism welcome. Review! xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

Lily was in the corner of the bedroom, pretending to be asleep. As she listened to Sirius' gentle words spoken to the silent girl, she wept, hoping for his sake that Helen would get better quickly. She had no idea that Sirius was so loving and serious about this girl. **(A/N: no pun intended!)** This was a side of him that Lily didn't know, that the cut-up, prankster, snog-anything-in-a-skirt, was capable of the passion and intense emotion that he had displayed within the 24-36 hours that Helen was in "trouble". Lily wondered how James felt. She slipped into a peaceful slumber. Soon after Sirius followed suit.

Sirius awoke after Lily to the dusty sunlight sneaking in through the smoke-glassed windows and cast thick gray and gold shadows over the furniture and floors. He yawned and saw a light puff of gray emit from his mouth. He realized that that was his breath and felt the cold in the room.

"Lily," he began to ask, "Can you make a smokeless fire?"

"Yes." She smiled and performed the charm. "Cremo Abiciofumus."

Helen woke up two hours later to the now warmer room. The vibrant amber flames licked the air hungrily for oxygen to feed itself. Helen was acting completely normal and talking fluently to both Sirius and Lily. He was glad that she was herself again. Sirius summoned a plate of food that held bacon and biscuits. She hadn't eaten since breakfast of the day Sirius and she sent a letter to her father. She gratefully accepted the plate and ate heartily. Helen withheld a question, but finally could not contain it any longer.

"Where are we?"

Sirius looked nervously at Lily as though he expected an answer to be written across her forehead, or perhaps scribbled across the dirty wall panels behind her.

Lily widened her eyes and shrugged her shoulders helplessly, conveying that she didn't know what to do. Sirius replied to her body language with his own by lifting his right eyebrow and shifting his eyes rapidly and warily around the room. Lily nodded. Sirius turned to Helen.

"You're in the Shrieking Shack."

Helen sat processing the information in her brain, looking quite confused and pensive all the while. After a moment she came to, realizing where she was.

"But why? Where…? Why here? It's…" Helen started frantically and at such a rapid place she couldn't quite be understood.

She tried desperately to escape the bedding that was intertwined around her limbs, confining her to the horrid place she believed she was in. This only distressed Helen further. Sirius was once more at her side. He was attempting to release her from the sheets that were binding her to the bed. She tried at springing herself from the bed and was only caught in Sirius' arms. He was attempting and failing horribly at trying to calm her down. He was stroking her hair and saying all he could to settle her.

_Moment later after Helen had settled down and resumed normal lung operations. Sirius had explained…_

"Wow," Helen said softly, "That's amazing…the…the loyalty and dedication of you friendship to Remus. All of you. It's just mind-boggling and…you are risking your freedom to be with a friend going through a tough time."

"So…you…you're okay with….with Remus being what… well a werewolf?" Sirius asked uncertainly, glancing anxiously at Lily.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" she smiled, "He's a great guy. He was bitten by a werewolf. He can't help that and he couldn't have prevented it. He's smart and all the girls are like totally in love with him and so jealous of Leigh."

Helen still had the smile on her face. Sirius was so thankful that she understood and didn't blame Remus and still thought of him as just another friend in the bunch.

Helen was well enough by that afternoon to go back to the castle. The cold winds whipped around Hogwarts like there was no tomorrow. The winter was one of the worst that Dumbledore had seen in ages. Helen, Lily, and Sirius made it back to the common room after 2pm. Helen slept fairly well that night, as did the other two.

Snow piled high outside making Herbology in the greenhouse impossible; therefore it was held in a classroom. It was the last day of classes before the Christmas holidays so homework after their first two classes, which were Herbology and Divination, was already overload. Their next two classes were Transfiguration and Double Potions.

"So let's see for homework over the holidays we have: Herbology, four feet on a plant that has made the most impact or has been most studied, or we want to learn more about, or something not covered in class (wow); Divination, track the stars and predict what each of the movements foretell, write one foot on it, keep a dream diary, and we'll figure out the meanings of them in class when we get back, okay then; Transfiguration, not much really, more writing assignments, we have to find something that we would like to learn that we have not covered in class and write one and a half feet at least on why it would benefit our learning development; and finally Potions…."Helen sighed. "Three feet on different important potions, brewed in class, their uses and importance's."

"That is a lot, but I think that we can do it." James said optimistically.

"As long as we plan out our schedules and times for doing homework" Lily said.

"We'll be fine." Remus added.

"We're all going to die." Leigh said dramatically, laughing with the others at her ridiculous statement, hoping they would indeed survive the brutality of the homework.

_Later that evening_

"Well we leave early tomorrow morning for Helen's house," Sirius said pointedly, "So, we'll have to see each other…"

"When you get back" James finished.

Sirius had never been away from Hogwarts during the time school was in session unless he was with James, but the normally remained at the castle, nor had Sirius ever met a girlfriend's parents. He tried to remind himself that he was only meeting Helen's dad. This was not much of a comfort.

_Meanwhile in the girls' dormitory_

Helen was so worried. She had never taken a boy to meet her family, even though it was just her dad. "Oh no! What if he's drunk? What will Sirius think? Oh well, it's my dad and I love him. And he won't be drunk, he wouldn't do that." She thought rapidly. "Oh, I miss you so much mum. I'll bring Sirius to meet you. You'll love him mum. He's such a sweetheart. He cares a lot about me, and I love him. Help dad to accept Sirius, and to know that I'm still his little girl."

_The next day, and boarding the Hogwarts Express_

The couple drug their trunks to the train along with a few others who were bracing themselves against the violent winds and heavy snow. When they got in their own compartment the trolley came around to offer them butterbeer, the two graciously drank it, allowing the smooth liquid to warm them inside and out.

They arrived at Platform 9 ¾, and stepped through the barrier to await Mr. Brundlehurst. When he didn't come Helen tried to use a pay phone to call but the lines were down. Helen decided that the taxi was the best bet, no taxis were on the road, the weather was too horrible and everyone was told to stay indoors.

Sirius had an idea.

"Helen, darling, we're old enough to apparate."

She looked at him surprised and ashamed that she hadn't thought of that first.

**A/N: Well….no one reviewed me last time…but that's ok…. Alright I lied. No its not. Please I beg of you….. review plz… well now on to the story… the next chapter, maybe two will be the vacation and such. Do you like this story so far? I need to know. :-)) talk to you all very soon. xoxo R/R!**


	6. Chapter 6

Pain of Today, Healing of Tomorrow

Chapter 6

Sirius and Helen arrived at the Brundlehurst home to discover no one was there. The house was dark and eerie. It was possibly the cold chill in the atmosphere, or perhaps it was the blue, gray, and sable tints that had settled over everything in the house. Spooky shadows were cast in places that were usually unscathed; a small shiver lingered on Helen's spine. She knew where her father was. Her emotions took a hold of her and didn't let go as she began to weep. Helen crumpled helplessly downward as Sirius dropped the book bag draped over his shoulder and held her up. She had almost fainted. Again.

"What is it?" he asked, quite concerned for her.

She held up her index finger for a brief moment, indicating that there was indeed something amiss and her complexion had become a slight shade of ghostly green. She bolted from the den to what Sirius could only guess was a downstairs bathroom. He heard the toilet lid slam open, and then the retching came. He sprinted down the dark hallway towards to dim bathroom light. Sirius was unsure of what to do so he brushed her hair back and held in hands, creating a makeshift ponytail holder.

Helen grabbed a face towel and ran it under the cool water after her digestive system had ceased working in reverse, and wiped her forehead and mouth respectively. She was apologizing sincerely and repeatedly to Sirius. She took hold of a tube of minty toothpaste and a teal colored toothbrush when suddenly, in her memory, she was thrust backwards to Hogwarts of last year.

"_God damnit Helen! What the bloody hell is this?" there was a pause and he didn't like it. His hand made contact with her cheek. She hadn't answered quickly enough._

_In her mind she screamed 'Bastard,' but the terror in her eyes was the very thing he lived on. He fiercely gripped her arm causing her agony, and creating new bruises on top of the older ones. She bit her lip to forget the excruciating pain. Helen's lip was crimson with blood. She thought to herself, 'Pain of today, healing of tomorrow.'_

_She wanted to run, to seek refuge in the girls' dormitory where he couldn't get her, but she would have to come down eventually, and when she did, the punishment would only be worse. She had tried to run before. To the same place. And it had been a big mistake. _

_She was terrified of him, and did her very best to pretend to be happy. She wore a pretty fake smile. Helen never said anything to anyone about the abuse because she was afraid of him. Not even her father knew. Everyone had suddenly believed that she was clumsy. Len, the boyfriend had forced her to put on a façade of unbalance. So she did. Helen used those excuses such as the common doorframe, or the fell-down-the-stairs act to explain bruises that a random acquaintance would ask about in the halls._

"_This is a toothbrush." He said maliciously as though he were speaking to an impaired child. "And. It. Is. Pink!" He spat out. _

_She was motionless and no one was around to rescue her. Something had set him off moments earlier, he just preferred to take out his wrath on the innocent blonde._

_Helen begged for forgiveness and pleaded for mercy, "Please! Please! Tell me what I did wrong! I'm so sorry! I won't do it again. I'll change everything! Please, I love you!" she began hysterically pathetic and finished frighteningly distressed and desperate._

_Len cast her a disgusted glare, seething hatred. He snatched his cigarette that had been burning away in its ashtray on the Common Room table and grabbed her arm, exposing her wrists and barely healed burn markings. He lowered the flaming tobacco to her arm and made three swift jabs to her flesh as she screamed in a wounded demeanor. _

There was a faraway scream and Helen was unaware that it was her own. Sirius was lost; all he could do was embrace her.

"What was it?" he asked confused.

There was still a flicker of terror in her blue eyes that no longer sparkled.

"Helen!" she snapped back to her bathroom floor. "Let's talk about it." Helen was scared, and he knew it. He just didn't know what of. "You can't keep whatever this is bottled up. I can help. Or I can try. I love you." Sirius told her meaningly.

Helen looked at him with sorrowful eyes and a won-over look.

"Okay." She said wearily.

**A/N: Well Chevette ya go what happened!. #1 was that it would happen… she got burned. I'm sorry fellow writers and readers, but this story is a tragedy. I know that it's kind of horrible what she went through but…well… this is what…ya know… what happens. Well anywho I'll update soon. Xoxo Review me:-((**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: in this chapter Helen will basically be in tears the entire time. I mean come on, you must remember this is a tragedy as well. she's remembering so much hurt; physical and emotional. And she's talking about it.! So maybe I'll remind you every now and then that she's crying. But I doubt it…who knows. So just think of a crying person with the sniffling nose sucking snot back up there as delicately as possible without getting whiplash. Please enjoy.! And REVIEW! **

_**Pain of Today, Healing of Tomorrow**_

_**Chapter 7**_

Helen began her story a little reluctantly, due to the fact that she had never spoken to anyone about her life except for a brief 'I'm scared of being hurt.' to Leigh in the common room so very long ago.

"Two years ago, my mum died in a freak car accident. She was a witch, but, they couldn't do anything, even at St. Mungo's. Her death was instant they said, so she didn't suffer. My dad's never been the same. He loved her. But anyway, he's taken to drinking and drinking more heavily in the past year. He was going to a grief counselor; you know to deal with the loss. Coping, they call it. Well he cancelled one appointment because of a hangover. Then the next one, then the next one. He's an alcoholic when he isn't at work, or drunk, rather. They've threatened his position at the office numerous times but,…Thank Merlin he's a major asset to the company. So…it really would be their loss if they fired him."

Sirius was listening intently, praying that it wasn't her father who burned her and made her scream in her sleep. His fears were shot down as Helen continued.

"He isn't violent at all when he's drunk either, okay. I don't know if you've realized it but no one has ever really notice me at school…I don't know. Alright up until sixth year I had a few friends but I seemed no guys like me. Sure I had dated a few but they just weren't quite what I was looking for. Then all of a sudden in the beginning of sixth year, this guy had caught my attention, he interested me. We started talking and he was great. It seemed he really liked me. So by October we were a steady couple. People liked us! Even his friends! Some of them were strange and a little different, like him. A few liked getting in trouble but I would stay back with Astrid even though I would get chastised later by him and his friends. Oh! Astrid! She was one of my seventh year friends, kinda big, really sweet."

Sirius nodded that he could possibly, vaguely, recall Astrid. He was still trying to think on whom it was she had been dating. Two boys form school, in their year, had died over the summer, but he had never seen either of them with Helen. He couldn't recollect either one of their names. One was a little odd who spent time with 'dark' dressed people from Slytherin, he smoked, and not just cigarettes, and he was always with another 'freak' girl. The second one was in Hufflepuff and was very quiet, despite his random arguments with no one.

"I had realized he had slight anger issues, after he had busted his fist on a stone wall. He went to the Hospital Wing and was fine in no time. But… I underestimated his rage. I got in the way a few times. I suppose it was my fault and I deserved it but he scared me. The first time he hit me, he acted horrified, I cried a lot, and backed away when he tried to touch me again. He whipped up some tears though and apologetic words. He told me to leave him. I said nothing and let him come to me. He swore he'd never do it again and so on. And I believed him. I believed him Sirius. He brought me flowers,…and I believed he was sorry." Helen cried harder. Sirius wrapped her in his arms, not willing to ever let go, but she was ready to continue.

"It was fine for about another two weeks but he changed, or started being himself. He began to tell me what to do and what to wear and what not to wear. I had to always tell him where I was going. Always. One time I didn't. I had forgotten… that was bad. He cornered me in the corridor and beat me up for it. But I listened for the most part. I was scared. And by March I was getting hit everyday at least. It seemed he didn't care. He didn't say nice things anymore; he _never_ told me he loved me."

She then told him the story about the pink shirt.

"I hadn't told him where I was going, and I was wearing pink. I was with a few people, Astrid was one of them. He didn't like her and had told me not to be friends with her. So I guess that set him off. I was stupid for not listening." She continued. **(A/N: sry I hate interrupting stories but…you may recognize what I'm going to be writing in a second because it was in the last chapter. But it has to be in here. It's important. And Sirius doesn't know.)** "I had to be clumsy when a lot of people were around. I had to run into desks and doorframes and trip on stairs. I have never been like that. But I had to; I had to give an excuse for the bruises. I have been in ballet since I was two. I am not a klutz. I had a phrase…it got me through everyday that I was with him…I would tell myself. Pain of today, healing of tomorrow. I thought that…tomorrow it would be better. But tomorrow never came. By the time tomorrow was expected, it had become today."

Sirius was just in total disbelief on how anyone could live through or face something like that. It was horrible and inhumane what this coward had done to her. "Tell me what set you off in the bathroom when you picked up your toothbrush." He requested.

She looked still, more terrified. Sirius held her and said consolingly and compassionately, "He isn't here. He can't hurt you any more. You have me. Tell me, please."

Helen told him, even about the time she had ran from her boyfriend to the girls' dormitory. Sirius took her hands in his own, and lifting them to his lips, turned them over and kissed her wrists. He could feel her pulse through his lips, and it skipped when he made contact with her smooth scarred flesh.

Helen slid her arms around his neck, crying all the more. Sirius' own eyes stung. It made him so incredibly livid that this had happened to her last year, and he hadn't been there. And he hadn't known. He told her what he was thinking. Helen told him not to blame himself.

"I promise that I will never, ever, put you through that. I love you. I am so sorry that, that you had to go through that."

Helen shed more tears on Sirius plain white T-shirt. "I love you too. Thank you."

"Your welcome, baby."

She pulled away to look in his eyes. Sirius saw something there that he hadn't seen before. Her eyes sparkled. They had always been beautiful facets into her person but, this time. They sparkled. She smiled and told him, "I'm free." Sirius knew what she meant. She wouldn't have to look back on it anymore. She had no more despair, and her tears were dried.

"Helen, you never told me his name."

"Len….it was Len Harrismen." She said.

Sirius was gazing deep into her sparkling eyes and said, "It's tomorrow baby."

Helen looked perplexed for a moment, and then she understood. She gave him a big teary-eyed smile and hugged him, so tight, for the longest time.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked and she nodded and he indulged her in a slow, but moving kiss, full of emotion and adoration. When they pulled away, Sirius made a fire in the fireplace and they stretched out on the great sofa and fell asleep in each other's arms.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me a while to update. I've been quite busy. And if you all may remember the Helen's father is Irish so i write what he says the way he would say it. Let me know if there's anything you dont understand. thanks! R&R please. Xoxo**

_Pain of Today, Healing of Tomorrow_

_Chapter 8_

The next morning, Christmas Eve day, was cool and sunny with not a cloud in the sky. The sun stretched its long arms into the living room of the Brundlehurst home. The remains of the wood that had been burned the night before lay at the bottom of the brick fireplace, still giving off pleasant warmth.

Helen's father, who was still a stranger, had not returned home yet, and Helen was still asleep on the sofa where Sirius had tucked her in. He had woken up an hour and a half ago, and taken a shower. He found the kitchen and began to assemble breakfast for Helen.

He made a full-bodied English breakfast tea first. Sirius discovered pots and pans lurking in the bottom cabinets of the large kitchen. There would be no toast because there were two loaves molded over completely. He was lucky when he found eggs in the refrigerator and frozen solid bacon in the freezer.

When the meager morning meal had been made he carried it on a plate into the living room and set it on the oak center table. The tea was finished steeping and he came across the teacups to pour it in. Sirius also placed the cups on the table.

He lightly touched Helen's shoulder so he wouldn't scare her. When her eyes fluttered open, Sirius smiled that 'good morning' smile, and he bent to kiss her forehead.

"Morning you," She strained to say as she stretched like a baby kitten.

"Morning," He responded.

"What smells so good?" she asked.

"Me!" Sirius announced triumphantly.

"You smell like bacon?"

"Well, it's not me you smell, it's the food I made!"

"Oh Merlin! Is the kitchen still here?"

"Ha Ha. Very funny, I happen to be quite talented when it comes to food."

"Maybe eating it." she mumbled, picking on him.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." She said innocently. "It looks great, Sirius."

Helen and Sirius were nearly done with their breakfast when outside the bang of a car door sounded, gravel crunched, and there was a thud onto the front porch. Sirius looked worried, and Helen ran to the front door before Sirius could stop her and opened it wide, in her nightgown, she stepped onto the paint-chipped wooden porch and guided in a man who looked like a vagrant.

He had not shaven in quite a while; in fact he hadn't showered in quite a while, and he definitely had been wearing the same clothes for quite a while.

The unknown man's face was sunken and hollow. His skin was a pale yellow, and his dirty clothes looked too large for his body.

'Maybe this is normal. Maybe people like this come in from no where all the time. I mean we are on a deserted road and the bus does pass here. What if I hadn't been here? Would she have opened the door then? Who knows who this man is! What if something bad would have happened to her? No, he didn't come on a bus, there was a car door.' All these thoughts and more flashed in, out, and around Sirius' head while Helen continued to lead the man further in the house.

She was gone only for a few moments, but it seemed like hours to Sirius, and he was getting edgy, so he rushed upstairs to see Helen closing the upstairs bathroom door, leaving the man inside of it to clean up.

"Helen! What are you doing? Who is that?" Sirius questioned frantically.

"That, Sirius, was my father. I'll properly introduce you both when he comes downstairs." Helen responded, tiredly.

oOoOo

Helen's father descended the intricate wooden staircase. He was in a fresh shirt and trousers, and he was now clean shaven.

"Father, this is Sirius Black. Sirius, this is my father, William Brundlehurst."

Sirius outstretched his arm and shook Mr. Brundlehurst's hand.

"Well you two, I have to go the grocery store. The food items in this house are scarce. Dad, I don't know how you've been surviving. Get acquainted and I'll see you both soon. Don't worry, I won't be long." Helen smiled and opened the cream colored door to the morning sun.

"Be careful." Sirius and Mr. Brundlehurst said together. The two looked at each other; Helen, finding it amusing, laughed.

"I will," she called back.

Helen had been gone for nearly fifteen minutes and Sirius and William Brundlehurst had been making small talk. They discussed the bitter winter they'd been having, where Mr. Brundlehurst worked, and other little things.

"Mr. Brundlehurst, can I talk to you about something personal?" Sirius asked as he looked him in the eyes.

"Of carse ya can. Wot is it?"

"It's about your drinking." Sirius answered.


End file.
